A weekend of Love and Kisses

I freely admit I’m gaga for my now four littlest grandchildren. Our newest addition, Addison Grace, arrived just a few weeks ago, and I can share with you my bragging rights that she is a beautiful, thankfully healthy, tiny (4 pounds,14 ounces at birth), perfect being.

My daughter Elizabeth had been on bed rest in the hospital for three weeks to keep Addison inside until she was least 36 weeks along.

Well, Elizabeth came home after hitting the dateline and just three days after my beloved son Josh’s wedding and only four days home, Addison would wait no more. Into the world she miraculously came, screaming and gorgeous.

It took me three weeks to get back to Dallas. I had been there with her for a week during her forced bed rest, but this time I brought with me a “bonus blessing,” five-year-old cousin Blake.

Stu and I had the fun of escorting him for the second time to Dallas. By now, though tender in age, Blake is an experienced traveler.

He came equipped with his traveling Spiderman bag overflowing with books, his iPad (given to him by his other grandmother, Susan), bags of candy and coloring pencils and paper. We had no problem keeping busy on the three-hour flight. Last time we visited we had stopovers but this time it was non-stop from LaGuardia to Dallas.

Blake had just celebrated his graduation with a “Moving Up” day at his pre-school. What fun to see his poised, smiling face singing loudly on stage with his fellow graduates.

I loved the song selected – “Everyone is Important and you can Make it Happen,” followed by the poetic “Lean on Me.” Such powerful messages for such young people.

The overflowing audience in the auditorium where the graduation was held included all of Blake’s grandparents and parents and his redhead, two-year-old sister, Morgan. We cheered at the precious preschoolers’ singing performance.

Blake stood center stage and enunciated each word, leading his peers to a peak performance – what fun!

As a graduation present I told Blake when we went to Dallas I’d take him to “Build a Bear,” and so I did. In the humongous mall Blake was led by his running, skipping, grinning cousin Jonah who knew exactly where the store was!

The instant Blake entered he found the bear he wanted and one for his sister Morgan. He inserted a sound card of “Pomp & Circumstance,” explaining to the sales assistant that the bear was his graduation gift. For his sister he put in a dog barking chip because she loves their Boston Terrier Lola.

It was only a weekend with them in Dallas but I got to hold, feed, diaper and smother in kisses our new little darling Addison. Jonah seemed very content with the addition to his life and adored having his cousin Blake with him, embracing him with hugs and smiles all weekend. It made the trip perfect in every way.

And for me to see my daughter as a loving, caring, devoted mother herself made my heart swell. I miss them all already.